Sunday Morning Series - Steady or Stubborn - Staying Focused in Turmoil

Text:  2 Kings 18  & 19

Hezekiah, King of Judah, came to the throne at 24 years of age and reigned for 29 years. He's viewed as the best king they had. As king, he tears down the idols in the land and restores true worship.

While Ahaz, King of Israel, submits to Assyria's demands for tribute, Hezekiah rebels. Soon after, he repents, and gives Assyria the equivalent of millions of dollars, including the treasures in the Temple.

The scripture does not give this timeline, but from accounts in II Chronicles 32:20-31and the information here, we can see a strong indication:

1) After he pays the tribute, Assyria pulls out of Judah's cities.

2) Hezekiah builds another wall and a tunnel to give the people access to water in the event of a siege.

3) The prophet, Isaiah, comes to Hezekiah and tells him he's going to die. He repents before the Lord, and he's given another 15 years.  (Note: This appears to happen after he pays off the Assyrians.)

4) He repents for submitting to the Assyrians.

5) Hezekiah forms a treaty with the Egyptians.

6) He once again rebels against the Assyrians.

The enemy comes back and tries to deceive the people of Judah. They speak their language, say that God sent them, and declare nothing can save them. Hezekiah receives the report of what's happening and brings it before the Lord. God tells him not to listen to their words. The angel of the Lord defeats the Assyrians, and their leader, Sennacherib, is assassinated by his sons while he's in the temple of his gods.

Application:  Who do you believe? By our decision, we can give permission to be deceived. So how do we tell the difference between deception and the truth? The Word of God doesn't bring fear unless there's judgment involved. Judgment is something we bring down upon our own heads when we turn away from God. If we're walking with God and words are striking fear in our hearts, the enemy is trying to deceive us and set a trap.

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